It's likely that Nerlens Noel wants the Philadelphia 76ers to trade him to the Boston Celtics, judging from an intriguing tweet he posted recently. If the rumors are to be believed, both sides are reportedly open to a possible deal involving the power forward and center.
Noel tweeted on Thursday, August 1, that he feels "blessed to be from Boston" and that he loves his hometown. Is this tweet hinting to his upcoming transition to the Celtics? Probably, but the 22-year-old could also just expressing his appreciation of the city.
Some rumors, however, claimed that there's more to Noel's tweet. Multiple NBA sources said that Noel is "very open" to a trade deal with the Celtics, while the team is also highly interested in acquiring Noel though no deal is being finalized yet, NESN reported.
CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely also noticed that Noel's bio on his Twitter account bears the words "#BostonStrong - Former Kentucky Wildcat - Current Philadelphia 76er!!" It's pretty unusual for a player to refer to the team he's a part of as "current," and it's suggesting that it's about to be changed to "former" soon.
According to The Sixer Sense, the Celtics is still lacking in their front court force despite the recent addition of power forward Al Horford to complement Amir Johnson. Horford and Johnson, however, are not the best centers. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge must be aware of this, and acquiring Noel is likely the team's next move to fill the gaps in their lineup.
Rumors about Noel's possible trade surfaced due to the 76ers' excess number of big players involving Noel, Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and Jahlil Okafor. Even Bryan Colangelo, 76ers president, admitted that he is not at ease going into the NBA 2016-17 season with three centers (Noel, Embiid, and Okafor), CSNNE.com noted.
The team's frontcourt would overflow with these players competing for playing time. If the Celtics signs Noel, the team could use him as a rim protector.
There are speculations that the Cleveland Cavaliers is also interested in acquiring Noel and lose Kevin Love in the process. The 6-foot-10 center is capable of taking jump shots outside and is also a good defensive player, skills that could benefit the Cavs in the upcoming NBA 2016-17 season. According to the Morning Ledger, moving to the Cavs can raise Noel into an All-Star.
What do you think about Noel's possible trade to the Celtics? Does he fit the Cavs better? Share us your thoughts in the comments section below and make sure to follow Parent Herald for more NBA news.
